Lienzer Dolomitenhütte - Große Sandspitze (Ari Schübel)

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving towards Spittal and forward towards Lienz (a little after Spittal highway ends). Further, we drive on a relatively nice and wide road through Drau valley. Few kilometers before Lienz (near the settlement Unterdorf), we will notice signs for mountain hut Lienzer Dolomitenhütte, which point us to the left on a local road. The road then over a bridge crosses the river Drava / Drau and then it brings us in the village Lavant, where we continue right in the direction of village Tristach. Between village Lavant and Tristach we will come to the next crossroad, where we continue left in the direction of "Lienzer Dolomitenhütte". This road which starts ascending steeper we then follow to a large parking lot near mentioned mountain hut. The road is payable (July 2009 7€).
To Lienz we can also come, if instead of through the valley Dravska dolina we drive through the valley Gailtal (Korensko sedlo, Hermagor, mountain pass Ziljsko sedlo/Gailbergsattel), in this case, we get to valley Dravska dolina at settlement Oberdrauburg.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the road, on which in 2 minutes we get to the mountain hut Lienzer Dolomitenhütte.
From the mountain hut, we cross the fence and we continue the ascent on a panoramic road (a nice view towards serrated ridge - highest is Spitzkofel 2717 meters), which is in the initial part exposed to falling stones. The road then crosses a short lane of a forest and then it brings us on an indistinct saddle Premstall (1625 meters), where there is a smaller crossing.
We continue straight past a trough with water (left upwards Weißtein Alm) on the road which after few minutes of additional walking brings us to a smaller mountain pasture Instein Alm, on which we notice a smaller wooden cottage and a little above it chapel.
We still continue on the road, and it quickly brings us to a marked crossing, where we leave it.
We continue the ascent on a wide mountain path which starts ascending a little steeper, through a thinner forest. The path from which very nice views opening up, few times crosses a mountain road and higher brings us to a smaller wooden cottage. At the cottage, we again leave the road and we continue the ascent through gently sloping high mountain valley, which is surrounded by high peaks. A gently sloping path which runs by the torrent stream, higher turns to the right and for a short time steeply ascends. This panoramic path, we then follow all the way to the mountain hut Karlsbader Hütte (by the mountain hut is also lake Laserzsee), which we reach after few minutes of additional walking.
To the hut, we can also come on the mountain road.
From the mountain hut, we continue towards the east following the signs Sandspitzen. The path runs on the left side of the valley below the slopes of the mountain Sandspitze and is marked with blue dots. After a short ascent, we come to a crossing, where the path Gebirgsjägersteig branches off to the left. This path is marked with green dots and isn't secured. We continue on the path Ari Schübel marked with blue dots. The path further is ascending on the scree, turns slightly to the left and it brings us in front of the entrance into a little steeper gully. At the ascent through the gully we can in the early summer run into a snow field, therefore it is necessary to use ice axe, and in case of hard snow also crampons. The path through the gully is otherwise well-secured with a steel cable. The path from the gully brings us on a smaller notch where there is a crossing. We continue left where also blue caption on rock points us to. The path relatively steeply ascends by the steel cable, and we also get help from few stemples. After that, the path on the south side of the mountain crosses a slope towards the west and soon again brings us to a crossing. Right steeply upwards leads an unsecured path Gebirgsjägersteig, and we continue straight and in a gentle descent, we still cross southern slopes of the mountain. This part of the path is marked both with blue and also with green dots. On this part of the path in the early summer, there can be a snow field, over which is attached a steel cable, so that at the crossing it is possible to use self belaying. After the possible snow field, there is again a crossing. Left downwards leads the path Gebirgsjägersteig, and we continue on the right path which starts quite steeply ascending by the steel cable. The path then turns to the right and starts ascending on the western slope of the mountain. With the help of some steel cables, we soon reach notch between the peaks Kleine Sandspitze and Große Sandspitze. From the notch, we continue left to the most difficult part on the entire path. The path here crosses a vertical wall on the west side. There aren't many footholds here, and we get help only from a steel cable. This part of the path is marked with difficulty level B/C. When we come again on the west side of the mountain, the path becomes a little less demanding. A little below the summit from the left joins also demanding path Panorama weg, after that only a short ascent follows to a very panoramic summit.

On the way: Instein Alm (1669m), Karlsbader Hütte (2261m)